W. Steven Burke is the new president of Biofuels Center of North Carolina.

For nearly every budget issue SSTI has prepared during the first decade of the 21st century, our opening paragraphs read like obituaries. The previous administration was ideologically opposed to the government taking an active role to support economic development, even tech-based economic development, beyond increases for university and federally based research. Spending for federal programs that support regional community and economic growth were slashed repeatedly.

J. Mike Books is leaving his post with the Indiana Health Industry Forum to become the first economic development director for the city of Columbia, Missouri. He also will serve as president of the Regional Economic Development Inc. Brooks will assume his new responsibilities on July 15.

Mark your calendar for Oct. 21-23 to attend SSTI's 13th annual conference Seize The Moment in Overland Park, Kansas! Past attendees know SSTI's conference is the premiere professional development event for the TBED community. And 2009 will be no exception.

The Piedmont Triad Research Park laid off Bill Dean, director of the park, and Nancy Johnson, marketing director. Park officials said that the park's project manager and executive assistant also were laid off.

Gov. Pat Quinn recently signed into law a six-year, $31 billion Jobs Now plan and smaller capital bill supporting science and technology research and commercialization and broadband deployment. The Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) will administer several of the grants.

The circumstances leading to SSTI's 13th Annual Conference make this year's event critical. We encourage you to join us in Overland Park, Kansas October 21 - 23, 2009 to Seize the Moment. As you scan the conference website, you'll discover we're putting together our most complete and complex conference yet.

Silicon Valley, a region often looked to for trends in the technology field, is expected to see a rise in the number of new high-tech incubators and the expansion of existing incubators in the coming months. A recent Wall Street Journal article points to these openings as a sign of revival for technology startup companies amid a relatively slow period last year as startup investment plunged during the recession.

Gov. Pat Quinn unveiled last week the FY11 capital budget outlining the state's progress on the $31 billion Illinois Jobs Now plan enacted last year by the legislature (see the July 29, 2009 Digest). The governor is seeking an expansion of the program, which includes new appropriations for green economy initiatives within the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO).

A group of inventors, academics and researchers presented an aspirational list of inventors' rights at the Association of University Technology Managers (AUTM) Annual Meeting held last week. The Academic Inventors' Bill of Rights includes protections for researchers and students to prevent onerous university intellectual property policies and lack of transparency from preventing successful commercialization. The full document will be available later this week at:  http://www.ipadvocate.org/

Lawmakers in Georgia and Kansas recently approved scaled-back funding for their states' respective tech-based economic development (TBED) programs in the coming fiscal year. Although many states are struggling to fill large deficits in the aftermath of a national economic downturn, funding for TBED initiatives, even at reduced levels, continues to be a priority for most states as a means to grow and diversify the economy.

Georgia

Kansas is home to more than 20,000 green jobs and expects that number to reach 30,000 by 2012, according to a recent survey by the state Department of Labor. The survey of 6,000 Kansas employers reveals that job growth in renewable energy, energy efficiency will drive green job numbers over the next two-to-three years. The biggest employment gains are expected in the renewable energy sector, which is expected to grow by 121 percent. Read the report ...

Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn recently signed legislation approving a new tax credit to encourage angel investment and extending the state's R&D tax credit one more year. The Innovation Development and Economy Act (SB 2093) allows eligible angel and early-stage institutional investors to take a 25 percent tax credit on investments in small, technology firms. Up to $2 million may be claimed on an individual investment for a $500,000 tax credit. The program is capped at $10 million and will be effective on Jan 1, 2011.

The second installment of SSTI's Tech Talkin' Govs' series includes excerpts from speeches delivered in Arkansas, Connecticut, Idaho, Kansas, New Hampshire, Virginia, Washington, and Wyoming. Our first installment was in the Jan. 5 Digest.

While seeking to spur economic growth through new investments in university-based research, Gov. Sam Brownback also proposes to consolidate the efforts of a longstanding program recognized for creating high-wage jobs and diversifying the state's economy. Under the governor's FY12 budget proposal, many of the programs currently managed by the Kansas Technology Enterprise Corporation (KTEC), which provides dedicated support for researchers, entrepreneurs and technology companies, would be transferred to the Department of Commerce.

The sixth installment of SSTI's Tech Talkin' Govs series includes excerpts from speeches delivered in Connecticut, Illinois, New Hampshire, New Jersey and North Carolina. The first five installments are available in the Jan. 5, Jan. 12, Jan. 19, Jan.

The Natural Energy Laboratory of Hawaii Authority, a semi-autonomous Hawaii State agency that developed and manages a globally unique and innovative technology incubation and commercial park in Kailua-Kona on the island of Hawaii, currently is seeking an Executive Director.

Complete descriptions of this opportunity and others are available at http://www.ssti.org/posting.htm.

Capturing national attention for initiating successful programs to sustain the nation’s position as a global leader for innovation and competitiveness, six organizations were named recipients of SSTI’s 2009 Excellence in TBED Award. The third annual awards follow a nationwide competition recognizing outstanding achievements in tech-based economic development (TBED) emphasizing impact, strategic value and replicability.

The economic circumstances leading up to SSTI’s 13th annual conference make this year’s event critical. We encourage you to join us in Overland Park, Kansas, October 21 – 23, 2009 to Seize the Moment.

If we have no map, does that mean we’re lost? Hardly. But given the economic turmoil affecting every crossroad of the country, some folks may be having a hard time seeing which road leads in the right direction. This year’s conference will feature two speakers at the forefront of TBED research who will share their insight on how states and regions can prepare themselves for the challenges ahead.

SSTI’s pre-conference workshops have received high praise from past participants because of their personalized nature, their dedication to sharing knowledge, and their opportunities to forge worthwhile relationships with other participants. The two pre-conference sessions scheduled on Wednesday, October 21 are no different and will provide plenty of value for those in attendance.

One of the best takeaways from the SSTI Annual Conference is the personal contacts one can make over the course of the event. Whether it’s chatting with a peer who has led successful economic development initiatives, breaking bread with fund managers at our scheduled Dine-A-Rounds, exchanging contact information with our conference speakers, or playing tennis with a myriad of people in the Wii Room, the upcoming conference will provide plenty of opportunities to make friends and meet other leaders who share your background and hopes for the future.

Developing and implementing a successful TBED initiative that generates substantial economic gain for a state or region is no easy feat. SSTI’s third annual Excellence in TBED awards recognize outstanding achievements in tech-based economic development from innovative programs across the nation, emphasizing impact, strategic value and replicability.

SSTI’s Annual Conference offers a rich and rewarding slate of professional development opportunities for seasoned conference veterans and first-timers alike. Each year, SSTI helps connect TBED professionals to the ideas and perspectives making a difference in the regional innovation. The conference also provides a vibrant atmosphere where attendees can connect to the leading thinkers and practitioners in the field. You can expect: